Key Investments Reposition Laikipia Regionally
Updated on: Sep 19, 2020
Laikipia is stealing thunder of the proposed Isiolo city, by positioning itself as the de facto nerve centre of the Kes 2.1 trillion central Kenya economic bloc.
In a big way never seen before, both the public and the private sector are investing in the hitherto neglected county. There have been particularly notably heavy investment by both national and county governments in transport infrastructure that are key enablers of the economys take-off.
Whether its by design or by sheer accident, the county has defied slowdown from Covid-19 pandemic to become a magnet for invest-ment from both public and private sectors.
On August 28, Chief Justice David Maraga opened an ultra-modern court house and announced that another court will soon open in Rumuruti. The county government had just completed a facelift of the previously dusty town by paving streets and the bus park with cobblestones that last for more than 200 years.
It has also installed solar streetlights around the town, boosting security.
The opening of the court building came days after agriculture CS Peter Munya visited Nyahururu New KCC factory and announced its expansion.
Rehabilitation of the Gilgil-Nyahururu metre gauge railway is already under way. With its revival, west Laikipia is also set to reap the benefits of bulk cargo transport convenience for the area known for dairy and potato production.
The rehabilitation of the 240-kilometre Nairobi-Nanyuki metre gauge line is complete. Vivo Energy has put up an 11.5 million-litre fuel depot in Nanyuki and is the anchor client for the rehabilitated line.
The railway revival, the ongoing facelift of Nanyuki airstrip and ongoing road projects all point to a county on the verge of commercial takeoff. According to the newly released Laikipia County Statistical Abstract 2020, bitumen roads coverage in the county in-creased from 203 to 383 kilometres between 2016 and 2019 alone. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is upgrading the Rumuruti -Maralal to bitumen standards. It has done more than 60 kilometres from the Rumuruti side.
The road has opened the land for real estate development. Just A year ago the government completed the Kinamba-Sipili-Rumuruti Road. Also the Limunga Junction- Mutanga-Karaba-Sipili route has been tarmacked as has Mutanga-Karandi-Theria-Muchongoi-Marigat (Baringo).
Mr Ndegwa Gitonga, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Laikipia Chapter attributes the new developments to a shift in approach to development by the current crop of leadership in the central region.
I believe this region this time round has leaders who are driving the development agenda that is very distinct from the previous administrations, Mr. Gitonga said. These are the desired fruits brought about by devolution. These roads have placed Rumuruti at the centre of the robust commerce. From a small trading outpost, the town is now the de facto capital of livestock business, attracting traders even from outside the country who transact millions of shillings every market day.
The town is currently on a construction spree as investors rush to meet the growing demand for housing for commercial and residential housing.
The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) is constructing its 14th Regional research centre in Sossian ward to serve Laikipia and neighbouring counties. The centre will be used as a dry land research centre whereby local communities will be taught on the best trees to plant and in which areas as part of the efforts to achieving ten percent forest cover target. The county government provided land on which the centre is being built.
Kinamba and Sipili have tarmacked streets. The bitumen road also extends for seven kilometres toward Ol Moran town.
In Laikipia Central, the government has upgraded the Shalom Junction- Withare-Sirma-Karai Lamuria (Ngarengíro)-Narumoru road. Also the Lamuria-Kiawara road is tarmac as is Karai- Kariguini-Nairutia road.
In west Laikipia, rural areas are teaming with new tarmac roads. For the first time in history, processors like Ngárua Millers can transport their products to markets with ease to Maralal and other centres in Samburu. Similarly they can take their products to other markets within Baringo County.
Commercial investments are coming up along the highways. A tour along the recently com-pleted 30-kilometre Rumuruti Kinamba road justifies the observation. Vast expanses of previously idle land are paving way for horticultural, dairy and grain farms.
With this development trend, Laikipia is expected to reap the gains of its strategic location both in Cereb Region and northern Kenya. Its strategic position between central and northern Kenya, Nanyuki is set to be the regions logistics
boom town, handling fuel, construction materials and agricultural produce for dispatch to different destinations. In Laikipia north, the county government is opening up the area and link it to the rest of the new transport connections. The government is exploring a multifaceted approach to upgrade roads in the vast area. They include use of leased equipment and ordinary contracting.
It has contracted the National Youth Service to open up and gravel the Chumvi-Arjiju-Doldol road. This contract could extend to Kimanjo and eventually link the county to Isiolo and Samburu.
Statistics show that Laikipias economy is re-sponding to the infrastructural development.
The countys GCP jumped from Kes 81 billion in 2017 to Kes 98 billion in 2019, the highest leap in five years.
The private sector is responding to the im-proved business environment too. In Nanyuki, for instance, an 11.5 million litre Vivo Energy fuel depot has set the stage for heavy commercial investments presence in the town. The energy company is set to reap the gains of cheaper and safer transportation of the bulk cargo.
Tourism and hospitality sector has also registered significant investment. New hotels have been springing up. Luxury hotels brand Elewa has added to its portfolio Lodo Springs Hotel located in the 57,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy.
This year, Mugie also opened Governors Camp Hotel. There is also a Kes 1 billion hotel investment coming up in Il Ngwesi and a 48-room hotel in Nyahururu. There is also a newly opened hotel in Ngobit which is known as Kambi Msituni.
Mr Gitonga, however, thinks that there is still a lot to be done to ensure the impact of the new development is felt down to the grassroots.
It is true the railway transport is way cheaper than road, but we need some last mile connectivity to complete the convenience, Mr Gitonga said. It should not be a nightmare for me to move my consignment from the rail terminus to the shop because it will defeat the whole purpose.
The Chamber is in talks with Kenya Railways to look for solutions to the hurdle. Extension of the railway closer to businesses and the affordable leasing of cargo holding areas are some of the options on the table.
In a big way never seen before, both the public and the private sector are investing in the hitherto neglected county. There have been particularly notably heavy investment by both national and county governments in transport infrastructure that are key enablers of the economys take-off.
Whether its by design or by sheer accident, the county has defied slowdown from Covid-19 pandemic to become a magnet for invest-ment from both public and private sectors.
On August 28, Chief Justice David Maraga opened an ultra-modern court house and announced that another court will soon open in Rumuruti. The county government had just completed a facelift of the previously dusty town by paving streets and the bus park with cobblestones that last for more than 200 years.
It has also installed solar streetlights around the town, boosting security.
The opening of the court building came days after agriculture CS Peter Munya visited Nyahururu New KCC factory and announced its expansion.
Rehabilitation of the Gilgil-Nyahururu metre gauge railway is already under way. With its revival, west Laikipia is also set to reap the benefits of bulk cargo transport convenience for the area known for dairy and potato production.
The rehabilitation of the 240-kilometre Nairobi-Nanyuki metre gauge line is complete. Vivo Energy has put up an 11.5 million-litre fuel depot in Nanyuki and is the anchor client for the rehabilitated line.
The railway revival, the ongoing facelift of Nanyuki airstrip and ongoing road projects all point to a county on the verge of commercial takeoff. According to the newly released Laikipia County Statistical Abstract 2020, bitumen roads coverage in the county in-creased from 203 to 383 kilometres between 2016 and 2019 alone. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is upgrading the Rumuruti -Maralal to bitumen standards. It has done more than 60 kilometres from the Rumuruti side.
The road has opened the land for real estate development. Just A year ago the government completed the Kinamba-Sipili-Rumuruti Road. Also the Limunga Junction- Mutanga-Karaba-Sipili route has been tarmacked as has Mutanga-Karandi-Theria-Muchongoi-Marigat (Baringo).
Mr Ndegwa Gitonga, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Laikipia Chapter attributes the new developments to a shift in approach to development by the current crop of leadership in the central region.
I believe this region this time round has leaders who are driving the development agenda that is very distinct from the previous administrations, Mr. Gitonga said. These are the desired fruits brought about by devolution. These roads have placed Rumuruti at the centre of the robust commerce. From a small trading outpost, the town is now the de facto capital of livestock business, attracting traders even from outside the country who transact millions of shillings every market day.
The town is currently on a construction spree as investors rush to meet the growing demand for housing for commercial and residential housing.
The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) is constructing its 14th Regional research centre in Sossian ward to serve Laikipia and neighbouring counties. The centre will be used as a dry land research centre whereby local communities will be taught on the best trees to plant and in which areas as part of the efforts to achieving ten percent forest cover target. The county government provided land on which the centre is being built.
Kinamba and Sipili have tarmacked streets. The bitumen road also extends for seven kilometres toward Ol Moran town.
In Laikipia Central, the government has upgraded the Shalom Junction- Withare-Sirma-Karai Lamuria (Ngarengíro)-Narumoru road. Also the Lamuria-Kiawara road is tarmac as is Karai- Kariguini-Nairutia road.
In west Laikipia, rural areas are teaming with new tarmac roads. For the first time in history, processors like Ngárua Millers can transport their products to markets with ease to Maralal and other centres in Samburu. Similarly they can take their products to other markets within Baringo County.
Commercial investments are coming up along the highways. A tour along the recently com-pleted 30-kilometre Rumuruti Kinamba road justifies the observation. Vast expanses of previously idle land are paving way for horticultural, dairy and grain farms.
With this development trend, Laikipia is expected to reap the gains of its strategic location both in Cereb Region and northern Kenya. Its strategic position between central and northern Kenya, Nanyuki is set to be the regions logistics
boom town, handling fuel, construction materials and agricultural produce for dispatch to different destinations. In Laikipia north, the county government is opening up the area and link it to the rest of the new transport connections. The government is exploring a multifaceted approach to upgrade roads in the vast area. They include use of leased equipment and ordinary contracting.
It has contracted the National Youth Service to open up and gravel the Chumvi-Arjiju-Doldol road. This contract could extend to Kimanjo and eventually link the county to Isiolo and Samburu.
Statistics show that Laikipias economy is re-sponding to the infrastructural development.
The countys GCP jumped from Kes 81 billion in 2017 to Kes 98 billion in 2019, the highest leap in five years.
The private sector is responding to the im-proved business environment too. In Nanyuki, for instance, an 11.5 million litre Vivo Energy fuel depot has set the stage for heavy commercial investments presence in the town. The energy company is set to reap the gains of cheaper and safer transportation of the bulk cargo.
Tourism and hospitality sector has also registered significant investment. New hotels have been springing up. Luxury hotels brand Elewa has added to its portfolio Lodo Springs Hotel located in the 57,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy.
This year, Mugie also opened Governors Camp Hotel. There is also a Kes 1 billion hotel investment coming up in Il Ngwesi and a 48-room hotel in Nyahururu. There is also a newly opened hotel in Ngobit which is known as Kambi Msituni.
Mr Gitonga, however, thinks that there is still a lot to be done to ensure the impact of the new development is felt down to the grassroots.
It is true the railway transport is way cheaper than road, but we need some last mile connectivity to complete the convenience, Mr Gitonga said. It should not be a nightmare for me to move my consignment from the rail terminus to the shop because it will defeat the whole purpose.
The Chamber is in talks with Kenya Railways to look for solutions to the hurdle. Extension of the railway closer to businesses and the affordable leasing of cargo holding areas are some of the options on the table.
